How does the Champions League knockout play-off draw work? | OneFootball

The 2024/25 Champions League has been full of change after UEFA's decision to revamp their premier club competition.

Having been expanded to 36 teams for the first time, the longstanding group stage was replaced with the 'Swiss model' league phase. On Wednesday, the inaugural league phase came to a close, with 24 sides qualifying for the knockout phase of the competition.

However, it's not quite that simple. The top eight teams all secured automatic passage to the last 16, while the remaining qualifiers have been placed in the knockout play-off round. Drawn against other participants for a two-legged tie, the eight winners will then make their journey to the last 16.

Here is everything you need to know about the Champions League knockout play-off draw.

When is the Champions League knockout play-off draw?

The Champions League draw takes place this month / VALERY HACHE/GettyImages

With the league phase having now concluded, the Champions League knockout play-off draw will be staged on Friday 31 January at 11:00 GMT and hosted at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland.

The draw will involve 16 teams and will be seeded, with sides finishing from ninth to 16th facing clubs that came between 17th and 24th in the standings.

Opponents are also determined by pairings within the table. For example, ninth and tenth-placed teams will face 23rd and 24th-placed teams and so on.

Which teams are involved in the Champions League knockout play-off draw?

Celtic have reached the knockout phase for the first time since 2012/13 / ANDY BUCHANAN/GettyImages

The clubs that finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase table will compete in the play-off round, while those in the top eight move directly to the last 16 and those between 25th and 36th are eliminated from the competition.

The sides that failed to qualify for the knockout phase will not drop into the Europa League.

Opponents will not be confirmed until Friday's draw but those involved know they will be facing one of two teams already. Ninth and tenth, for example, will face one of the two teams that finished 23rd or 24th, while 11th and 12th will face the teams in 21st or 22nd. That same format continues for the teams between 13th and 20th.

Clubs eliminated from the Champions League after league phase

Why are Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona not involved in the draw?

Liverpool automatically qualified for the last 16 / Carl Recine/GettyImages

Liverpool, Arsenal and Barcelona are among the eight teams that qualified automatically for the last 16 by finishing in the top eight, meaning they avoid a nerve-inducing play-off clash. The trio all performed impressively during the eight-match league phase.

Instead, they will each face one of the winners of the play-offs - again, seeded depending on league phase position - thus securing them a well-earned rest before they take to the field in the last 16 in early March.

The knockout play-off fixtures will take place across a week, with the first legs staged on 11/12 February and the second legs on 18/19 February. Each team will play once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.

The draw for the round of 16 will occur on Friday 21 February after all play-off second legs have been completed.